Endangered Calif. Brown Pelicans Killed

Published 2:27 pm, Monday, April 25, 2016

Two California brown pelicans were found fatally shot in the San Francisco Bay area over the last two weeks, among the latest in a slew of killings that has perplexed investigators.

One was found in the San Jose area and another in San Francisco Bay, said Jay Holcomb, director of the International Bird Rescue Research Center.

At least 14 pelicans have been killed over the last month in Southern California. Two were found with wings so damaged that specialists weren't able to save them; at least nine appeared to have been shot in the same spot on the neck.

California brown pelicans have been on the federal endangered species list since the 1970s, when the effects of DDT decimated the birds.

The species has recovered dramatically, with almost 5,000 mating pairs roosting along the California coastline and as far south as Acapulco.